Hi,

Thank-you for taking time to visit and help with a good cause. 

Those of you who know me will confirm that I am usually a pretty quiet person in many areas of my  life, including my faith.  Over the last 3 or 4 years,  I have become more a firm believer that there is a force at work in our lives.   Three years ago I had been diagnosed with iron deficieny anemia.  While a cause was never really found, a large adenomatous polyp was found.  The doctor had said it was the kind that likes to turn cancerous. It wasn't a matter of if it would turn cancerous, but when.  Prior to that, I wasn't considered a high risk for cancer and would most likely have not found it until it had become cancerous.  The whole reason it was found in the first place was due to the level of the physical required by my prior work.   Most jobs out there do not require or give it,  just those that deal with hazardous materials.   I left the position with the  Illinois National Guard due to the needs of the family.  That was in June of 2008,  just before the downturn in the economy. 

Come February 2009,  I was still out of work and looking for other ways to network.  I was also looking for a way to volunteer that fit.   That was when our church at Willowcreek Wheaton started looking for more people to run for World Vision.  This seemed to be the perfect opportunity to volunteer. 

In June,  I had gotten a offer to work for the US Border Patrol. While it would have meant some time away from the family, it would have been a great career opportunity and provided the job security.  In addition to the family separation issues, there was one other problem.  I probably would not have been able to run in the Chicago Marathon and run for my church and World Vision.  At that time I had also had some applications in with some other agencies. My wife and I had friends and family praying that one of the other jobs would come through.  On the Friday of the weekend before I would have flown out to Michigan, then New Mexico, to start with the Border Patrol,  Du Page County Sheriff’s Office called with an offer.  It  would seem that a higher power has again intervened so I could run in the marathon.

The work schedule and the academy schedule all happen to fall in line to allow for my participation.  To understand this further, you would need to know that I work 4 days on and two days off with no vacation or paid time off for the first year. To me, this all seems more than a coincidence.  You might say as the Blues Brothers did " I am on a mission from God."  

While I don't know the full reason or reasons for it, I do believe that there is more at work.  Though it may not always be self-evident,  and there can be a lot of sweat and tears,  we are all in certain places for a reason.  When you help someone else and take time to do what you believe in your heart is the right thing, whether it is you own son or daughter,  your neighbor,  or a child on the other side of the world,  it comes back to you tenfold.  If you have found yourself here and feel it in your heart, please take that step to help. 

World Vision works to tackle the root causes of poverty by working with children, families, and their communities to provide things like clean water, health care, nutritious food, education, and economic opportunities.

You can support my efforts through Team World Vision by making a one-time tax-deductible donation.